Lagman elected new Liberal head

As the new president of the Liberal Party of the Philippines, the former administration's leading opposition party, veteran and independent lawmaker Edcel Lagman yesterday vowed his party's return to the political arena.

The Albay representative (1st Dist.) succeeded former Senator Kiko Pangilinan, who assumes the position of chairperson following former vice president Leni Robredo, the country's leading opposition figure.

Lagman, who was elected to the post during the party's National Executive Council Meeting at the historic Club Filipino, pledged to lead LP with principled activism.

In his acceptance speech, he vowed the party's comeback in the 2025 Midterm Elections, lifting the party from the ashes of the 2022 elections.

"As your president, I am not ready to incant the requiem of the Liberal Party. I assume the presidency to lift up the Liberal Party from the ashes of the May 2022 elections," Lagman said.

For the veteran lawmaker, the LP must "relentlessly sustain and enhance the party's enviable legacies of democratic liberalism, respect for the rule of law, protection of human rights, good governance and accountability, progressive taxation, the campaign against authoritarianism and despotism, and genuine people empowerment."

Lagman is one of the country's longest-serving legislators being a member of the House of Representatives for 29 years.

"If there is determination, there is hope; if there is hope, there is fulfillment; if there is fulfillment, we shall prevail; once we prevail, we shall endure; and when we endure, we become relevant; as we are relevant, we shall lead and be victorious once again. Tuloy, Liberal!" he said in his acceptance speech.

Apart from Pangilinan, also elected were former Quezon City representative Kit Belmonte as new vice chairperson, succeeding former senator Franklin Drilon; Representative Teddy Baguilat as new secretary general, succeeding Belmonte; former Quezon representative Erin Tanada as new executive vice president; and Oriental Mindoro Representative Alfonso Umali as national treasurer, succeeding former Occidental Mindoro representative Josephine Ramirez-Sato. Iloilo Provincial Board member Jason Gonzalez is retained as director general.